Simon Dawson reports on Wednesday's Get Your Groom On event, which helped Defected on our way to raising over £7,000 for the charity Movember.
We like to do our bit for charity here at Defected, so when the Movember campaign came our way we got fully involved as staff members embraced both fluff on their top lip and a compilation, all proceeds of which would go to this extremely worthy charity.
Someone also pointed out that we’re reasonably au fait with putting on parties, so that was added to the increasingly tasty mix. Venue? Well, we thought; we’d like it to be an intimate little affair, friends and family kind of thing, so how about the pub over the road? It’s small, serves booze and has decks. All the key essentials then… let’s crack on.
Crack on we did. The word was spread and the line up confirmed – Simon Dunmore, Sam ‘Copyright’ Holt and Rocky & Diesel of X-Press 2 fame. As well as the musical delights we roped in the guys from Murdock the gentlemen’s barbers and groomers from just up the road to be on hand and give wet shaves for those wanting to neaten up that facial hair they’d been cultivating over the past 30 days or simply – are more likely in most cases – finally get rid of it.
Mr Dunmore had spent the day coming over all nostalgic and getting all dusty in his attic, digging out some long forgotten but well loved records. Tonight was going to be a vinyl night; strictly crowd pleasers only. So when doors opened at 6:30pm he was eager to hear the crackle and pop of vinyl he’d lugged into town. Lots of old soul and rare groove being served up by the gaffer as the boozer was quickly filling up with friends, friends of friends, fans of the label, supporters of the cause all happily dishing out their hard earned cash on the door as a contribution to the Movember cause.
By the time X-Press2 had arrived at 8pm for their hour of fun the pub was packed. As Rocky and Diesel dished out everything from Cheryl Lynn and Chicken Lips to Michael Jackson, Mood II Swing and Prince, the house party vibes of the night were sealed, with the small dancefloor bustling with bodies laughing and taking photos of each other in all manner of ridiculous fake moustaches that were being passed about.
As Rocky & Diesel handed over to Sam Holt from Copyright the dancefloor went from bustling to jumping, Sam proving he’d had a bit of a pre-party chinwag with Dunmore as he too had got busy with the old record collection.
I’d reel off a list of classics that Sam played but I’ll be honest and admit that the party was that good that I can’t remember. And really...it doesn’t matter. All that needs to be said is that everyone was loving it. With an hour or so to go before last orders, Sam and Simon went back to back on the vinyl and it became clear it was going to be ‘one of those nights’ – you don’t remember the details but it’s unforgettable in its own way.
Party people were constantly getting hoisted up onto others shoulders, drinks were flying everywhere, the gags with the fake moustaches were just getting straight silly and with the drop of Steve Silk Hurley’s ‘The Word Is Love’ a mini riot on the dancefloor erupted before turning this small East End boozer at 11:30pm on a Wednesday into 7am Sunday at Pacha as Sam played Alison Limmerick’s ‘Where Love Lives’. The hands shot up in the air and the crowd screamed along to every line.
And with that, the music got shut off and we were fairly promptly kicked out into the cold; completely trashed, smiling, singing and happy that we had raised a huge amount for a great charity.
Words: Simon Dawson
Photos: Gavin Mills
Defected would like to thank everyone who has supported the Defected Handlebar Hustlers team, purchased the Mo Grooves compilation or who came to the event. You have helped us raise over £7,000 for the Movember charity.
Mo Grooves is out now and you can still donate to Movember by visiting the Team Defected Movember page
